Challenge
by Celonhael
Summary: Kagome is challenged to a contest; Miroku's odd dream returns.
1. Chapter 1

  
"It's finally cool!"  
The day was an overcast one, with a cool wind blowing. For the first time in a long time, there was no scorching sun beating down on the land. A cool breeze suffused the land, and Kagome thought you could almost hear the forest and grass sigh. Brown spots were starting to appear in the grass, where the sun was scorching it out.  
Sango nodded. She was wearing her usual skirt and top again, Kirara perched on her shoulder, "It almost feels like rain. The farmers might get lucky, and we might have some rain."  
"That would be good," Miroku agreed, "The lands are getting so parched."  
Everyone was wearing their usual clothing once more, Kagome wearing a white haori and dark blue hakama. She was starting to look more and more like a Priestess, now, but she didn't like wearing red hakama. It was stupid, she knew, but she didn't like dressing exactly the same as Kikyo. Even just changing the color of her clothing made her feel a little better.  
Kagome lightly touched the Bloodstone she was wearing around her neck. The warm stone sat in her cleavage, a soft reminder of DarkWind. The Kageri had asked her if he could take some time off to go to his own lands, and check on things. Kagome had agreed, curious as to what DarkWind's lands even _looked_ like. But she was wearing the stone today, to give the Kageri some time to himself.  
"Speaking of rain," Miroku said, "we need to refill our water containers. I wonder if that village down there will let us use their well?"  
They paused, looking down into a large-ish village spread out below. There was a main house, and about 10 smaller houses. Fields were being tended, and a small corral held a few horses. Chickens ran here and there. It looked, if not rich, well off.  
"Only one way to find out," InuYasha declared, and started down, hands folded inside his sleeves.  
As they walked, Kagome watched InuYasha out of the corner of her eye. She was pleased to see that while the hanyou looked alert...InuYasha _always_ looked alert...he didn't look outright wary.  
_I remember when we first started travelling together...every time we approached a village, he'd be so tense, like he was expecting an attack at any moment. Which....I suppose he was. But now he's more comfortable with himself. Maybe just the fact that he's walking into a village with a group, and not alone, makes him feel a little more at ease..._  
Whatever the reason, she was glad to see he was doing better.  
Kagome looked at the path under her feet as she walked.  
_Sometimes, though...it's like he's slipping back into his old ways. Wanting to be alone...getting angry and aggressive...not wanting to talk...acting like having emotions makes you weak...fighting over the slighest thing..._  
Kagome mentally sighed, _I hope it's not because of...what happened between us. He...he seems to have accepted it better, at least. But...I don't want him going back to how he was. He was so unhappy..._  
A light touch on her hand brought her back to the present with a start. She looked up to see InuYasha watching her, worried, lightly touching her hand.  
"Huh?"  
He studied her, gold eyes searching her face, "Are you ok?"  
"Huh? Why wouldn't I be?"  
"I asked you a question but you didn't hear me...you seem pretty lost in thought..."  
"Oh," Kagome flashed him a smile, "Yeah, just...thinking about stuff. What was it you asked me?"  
He blushed slightly, hesitating. Kagome knew if she seemed surprised at the blush, he'd withdraw even more, so ignored it, and asked again in a neutral voice, "InuYasha?"  
He glanced back to the path ahead, slipping his hand into the opposite sleeve again, "I just wondered how your practice was going. With the...the Jewel, and the archery and everything."  
_Wow...that's unexpected._  
She looked back to the path as well, "Well...they're both doing really good, thanks! I've pretty much gotten my old skills back in archery. I guess it's like the bike thing, right? You never really forget. As for the Shikon...I'm doing good in that, too. I can handle the power a lot more now....more of it, I mean. Not all of it yet, but..."  
"How...much longer, Kagome?"  
Kagome blinked, and looked at him again, "Huh?"  
Behind them, Miroku and Sango were lost in their own conversation.  
InuYasha spoke quietly, eyes firmly on the path, "I just...How much longer is it going to take? Before you think you can handle all the power, I mean?"  
Again, Kagome looked to the path, "Well.....if I keep going the way I am...I will probably be able to handle all the power in about a week, I guess. Then I have to start learning to use it."  
He blinked, looking at her in alarm, "_Use it?_"  
Kagome looked at him, blinking, "Well...yeah. I mean...that's what I'm learning..."  
He continued to look at her, almost in disbelief.  
Kagome found herself getting a little angry, "We've been through this before, InuYasha."  
"That's not what I mean! I'm talking about how you plan on _practicing_ with it! How? How do you plan on... I mean, you're not planning on having that thing take you into battle, are you, with-"  
Kagome hissed, "Will you stop calling him "That Thing"? _He has a name!_"  
InuYasha flushed a little with anger, "Fine. _DarkWind_. Are you planning on having _DarkWind_ take you into battle or something? Because I won't allow it!"  
Kagome blinked, "You...what?"  
He crossed his arms, but continued looking at her, almost glaring at her, "You heard me."  
Kagome just stared at him in disbelief. When she spoke, her voice was still low. This was a private fight, she didn't want Sango and Miroku involved. Or even to hear.  
"You can't tell me what to do!"  
InuYasha's voice was, amazingly, also still lower, "I'm not letting you do that, Kagome."  
"Are you forgetting I can "sit" you?"  
"Then you'll have to use it. A lot. Even _I_ don't just run into battle not knowing how to use a weapon if I don't know how. You learn _first_, or so help me, Kagome, I'll drag you out of whereever you are and - "  
"And what?"  
InuYasha glared at her for a second, then looked back to the path. His voice was level, and calm sounding, but his face was flushed with anger, and his eyes had emotions deep in them, "And push you through the well, and seal it up with a boulder, like I threatened before."  
Kagome just blinked at him, "You _what_?"  
He didn't back down, "Going into battle with the Shikon, without knowing how you'll use it, or react to it...or how it will react to you, is a suicide attempt, Kagome. And I'm not letting you kill yourself."  
Kagome fell silent. His face was so strained, but he was trying so hard to keep calm, to speak calmly.  
"I..."  
Silence. They walked on. Behind them, Sango giggled at something Miroku said.  
Kagome spoke, "You feel pretty strong about this, huh?"  
He glanced at her, a soft, sad look on his face, and just looked back to the path again, his voice gentle, "Yeah."  
Kagome kept watching his face, "Then...I promise, InuYasha. I won't go into battle until I know everything about the Shikon."  
He blinked at her, startled, "What?"  
She nodded, "I mean...if we get attacked or something, and we're all in dire straits, like before, I _will_ try to use it then-"  
He opened his mouth to speak, but she raised a hand, cutting him off.  
"I _ will_, InuYasha. If I think you're all going to be killed...if I see there's no other way, I _will_. _You_ need to accept that. But I promise you that I won't _intentionally_ go into battle with the Shikon until I feel I can _completely_ control it, and control it _safely_. Ok?"  
He studied her face in silence for a second,then spoke gently, "Thank you. I...I just...worry..."  
"I know," Kagome smiled, "And thanks for that. I'll try not to make you worry too much."  
He smiled softly, and she smiled back.  
InuYasha watched as she looked back to the path before them.  
There were still faint traces of the bruises on her face, the ones Xanter had left, now only a faint purplish shadow over one cheekbone. He winced when he remembered how swollen her poor face had been when he had come running out of the forest, to see her running towards him, terror on her face. She had been bleeding, too; he had smelled her blood on the air.  
Miroku's voice interrupted them, "Well now, here we are."  
Kagome looked up to see that they had approached the main entrance to the village, and there was a group of people approaching them, a little cautiously, which was fine.  
"Greetings, strangers," said a middle-aged human. He was wearing simple clothing, his hair thinning out terribly. Two men walked with him. They were carrying farming tools, but were holding them cautiously, and InuYasha could tell by looking at them that they would use them as weapons if needed.  
"And good day to you, my good man," Miroku spoke first, his charming personality coming through, "We were wondering if we would be able to have the use of your well to refill our water?"  
The two men walking with the other one relaxed at once, looking to him. The middle-aged man nodded, and smiled, "Of course, Monk. I am called Hibiki. I'm sort of the speaker for this village. Have you come a goodly way?"  
"Far enough," Miroku smiled, "It's nice to have the sun taking a break today, isn't it?"  
"Oh yes, yes. We may even get some rain, if we're very lucky. The fields are so dry, you know. The farmers carry water by hand from the river to the fields, but you can't do that all day every day."  
InuYasha suddenly spoke up, startling everyone, "Tell your farmers to start stocking up on what they can harvest. It's going to be a bad winter."  
"Eh? A bad winter?"  
Miroku and the others regarded InuYasha in surprise. "Why do you say that, InuYasha?" Shippo asked.  
InuYasha spoke steadily, "It's just a weird feeling I have. This heat wave isn't going to leave. Not any time soon. There won't be any snow this year."  
"Oh my," Hibiki said softly, "I hope you're wrong. We need the snow from the winters to make sure our crops are watered for spring."  
There was an uncomfortable silence.  
"Er..anyway," Hibiki said, "Please, come in and make yourselves at home here. Stay for a rest if you wish. Monk, could I possibly trouble you...-?"  
"Of course not," Miroku smiled. A monk was almost always in demand, and he expected it.  
"We'll fill the water," Sango said. Kagome nodded, and followed, Shippo hanging onto her shoulder.  
Kagome glanced back at InuYasha, and blinked to find him looking off into the distance.  
"InuYasha?"  
"I'm gonna check the village out, Kagome," he said, a little low, "Sniff around."  
Kagome leaned towards him, "Do you sense anything wrong?"  
"No," InuYasha almost looked embarassed.  
"Then what-?"  
"I just wanna look around," he said, growing defensive, "Humor me, alright?"  
Kagome smiled, "Alright then, go have a look around. We'll all be here somewhere."  
InuYasha nodded, and walked off.  
Sango and Kagome walked towards the well, carrying their things. The demon-slayer looked at the other woman, "What's InuYasha up to?"  
"Just looking around. I think he's feeling a little hyper or something, and doesn't want to just hang around and wait."  
Sango smiled as she lowered the bucket into the deep well, "It must be hard to be a demon, or half demon, travelling with humans. InuYasha must find us awfully slow and weak."  
"Well, he certainly hates it when he turns human, that's for sure."

The shadows grew long, and eventually, the skies opened up, pouring. While normally it would be a time for everyone to run inside, people actually came _outside_ to enjoy the rare rain. Farmers checked their crops happily, making sure nothing prevented the ground from soaking up as much water as possible, and even set out empty barrels to catch extra water for the next day. Children ran around, jumping in puddles, laughing in delight.  
InuYasha sat under the side eave of a hut, legs crossed, watching the farmers move about their fields.  
_This rain will help...but things are still going to be hard._  
He closed his eyes, leaning back with his back against the hut. The rain brought wind, and the sighing sound as it danced around the huts was almost peaceful. The damp wind breeze that came with the rain played with his hair and clothing. It was good to feel and hear the rain again. Good to actually feel dampness in the air, instead of the dry heat all the time.  
Raising an arm, InuYasha wrapped a hand around his Tetsusaiga, pulling it, sheathe and all, out of his belt. He opened his eyes, looking down at it, as it lay across his lap.  
_We killed Xanter, Tetsusaiga. I was able to unlock the Solar Flare from you, and we protected Kagome._  
Images of the battle came to him, almost unbidden. Kagome's face, all puffed up and bruised. How furious he had been, how horrified when she had come out of hiding, calling derision down on Xanter, mocking him, _"You fell for it! You were too stupid to see, and I used you!"_  
She had been trying to goad Xanter into an attack...trying to make him so angry he slipped up...which he had.  
But she could have been killed, the little _fool_!  
_"Why didn't you call DarkWind for help?"  
"You didn't need it."_  
She had believed in him. Hadn't called DarkWind...because she knew he could do it.  
He sighed, _Will I be able to do it again?_  
He ran his eyes along the black sheath of the Tetsusaiga.  
_Will you work for me again, when I need you? Was it just an accident, Tetsusaiga? Or am I learning to use the new attack now?_  
The rain continued to pour, with a loud hiss. Branches of trees and crops bent under the weight, and InuYasha was suddenly reminded of the pouring rain the night he found Kagome in that other world. How wet everything had been.  
_The first of the Shadelings are gone. I've drawn First Blood in an actual battle. But that only means the other Shadelings are going to be more wary now. I'll have to be even more careful..._  
He was going to have to be even more protective of his friends.

The rain slowed, and stopped. The sun came out again, but it was still nice and cool. It was almost too hard to believe that there was a heat wave going on, it felt so nice and cool. Water droplets hung on everything, casting out brilliant rainbows of color.  
InuYasha had risen, and was walking back towards the center of the village. Raindrops slid down leaves and fenches, glittering like diamonds, dripping to the ground.  
A scent caught his nose, and he stopped, turning. He scented into the air, curious, and turned, following it back.  
He heard the unmistakable sounds of arrows hitting targets before he rounded a corner and saw the practice area set up.  
In the middle of the practice area, a woman stood. She had pale blue hair, shoulder-length, and was dressed all in black. She was carrying a bow, and had drawn a bead on the target on the other side of the clearing. InuYasha wandered up to the fence, and leaned against it, watching.  
The woman released the bow, and the arrow sped true, hitting the target with a solid thunk.  
Catching sight of the crimson figure out of the corner of her eye, she turned, and regarded InuYasha.  
Her eyes were a dark green, and she was strikingly lovely. Fine eyebrows arched over her eyes, the same hue as her hair. High cheekbones, and a pointed chin gave her a heart shaped face. She was wearing what looked like black leather armor.  
Her ears were pointed, and the edges were heavily fringed, almost like gills.  
She grinned at InuYasha, and sauntered towards him.  
InuYasha watched her approach, mentally nodding. He had _thought_ he smelled a hanyou here.  
"Well hello," she smiled, and leaned against the fence as well, a short distance down from him, "I heard a new hanyou and some humans had wandered in, I'm guessing that's you."  
InuYasha gave a slight nod, watching her warily, aware she was regarding him the same way. There was almost a cockiness to her, though. InuYasha wasn't sure if she on the verge of grinning at him or not.  
"I'm Emi, you've probably heard of me."  
"Sorry, can't say I have," InuYasha spoke. Emi was as tall as he was, and she regarded him cooly. She did smile, after a few seconds. There was a brashness that was very similar to InuYasha - perhaps a thing of hanyous.  
"Oh really?" she asked, amused, "You've never heard of the beautiful Emi of the Bow? Everyone around here knows me, everyone talks of me. If you didn't come searching me out, why did you come? And what's your name?"  
"I came with my friends," InuYasha said levelly, not giving his name. He was attempting to feel out her power, her strengths, and was aware she was doing the same thing. It was odd - almost like a dance where neither moved or said as much, but each seemed to be looking the other over, looking for possible weaknesses. Survival instinct.  
"And why did your friends come?"  
InuYasha shrugged, looking away, "We needed water."  
Emi grinned, and stepped away from the fence, walking back over to take up her stand again, "Well, now you can tell anyone around here you have met the beautiful Emi of the Bow."  
InuYasha looked back, flicking his ears, " 'Of the Bow'?"  
"That's right," Emi grinned at him, revealing a set of fangs, "I'm unbeatable with a bow. Top archer in the lands."  
InuYasha watched her in silence for the space of three heartbeats, and then grinned slowly.

They walked out of the village, heading down from the mountain where they had been wandering. Kagome was carrying new foodstuffs in her backpack, having traded some of her own things for them. They sloshed as they all walked, their bottles and containers full. Shippo munched on some sugared fruit happily.  
"What was it they wanted, Miroku?" Sango asked.  
"They had a sick child in here, and wanted me to bless her. It had only been a simple flu, but someone had given the child a home remedy and it had only made her worse."  
"Poor little thing," Kagome said, "What did you do?"  
Miroku chuckled, "I poured it out, of course, told them not to give her that, and blessed her, leaving her parents some instructions of what to do to help."  
"Proper healers are hard to come by up here," Sango said, looking at Kagome, "Maybe Kagome should have-?"  
"No offense to you at all, Kagome," Miroku said with a smile, "It was a very simple thing."  
"That's fine. I'm not exactly a full healer anyway."  
Kagome glanced to InuYasha, who had been walking beside them, somewhat quiet. She had been expecting the hanyou to be sullen, as he usually was when quiet. It was a start to see him looking rather pleased with himself. He walked his with hands behind his head, gazing up at the sky.  
_I'm not sure what happened, but he seems in a good mood,_ she thought happily.  
InuYasha glanced down, caught her eye, and startled her again by smiling warmly at her.  
Blinking, Kagome returned the smile, glad to see he seemed content. 


	2. Chapter 2

  
That evening they set up in a small clearing. The sun that had come out earlier had dried the ground, and it was no longer soggy. In the very center of the clearing, the sky could be seen easily, and the colours were beautiful.  
The fire they started that night was small, used only for some light than for heat, and they didn't even bother to cook a late meal, just ate some things Kagome had brought with her. The little kettle was set on the fire to boil, and everyone settled back, enjoying each other's company.  
"I'm glad it rained today," Sango said, stretching out, her back against a tree stump.  
"Yes, the farmers were so happy to see it," Miroku agreed. The monk was holding a small bowl of candy in his hand, offering it around as they talked.  
"Nothing personal, InuYasha," Kagome said softly, "But I really hope you're wrong about things being bad for the people."  
InuYasha stirred slightly from where he had been stretched out on his side, watching the fire, his head in his hand, "Yeah, well... I hope I'm wrong too. But I don't think I am."  
He reached out with an arm, holding a long stick in his hand, and poked slightly at the fire, "I can remember once, a long, long time ago, this winter that wasn't a winter at all. There was hardly any snow, all the small rivers and streams dried up. People had to travel a lot farther to get water...had to go into places they weren't familiar with..."  
He fell silent for a second, gazing into the fire, light dancing over his face, his expression muted, "The demons in the area had good hunting _that_ year..."  
"That's terrible!" Shippo said. InuYasha blinked, looking at the Kitsune, annoyed, "I wasn't saying it was a good thing!"  
Kagome spoke, "Do you...."  
They all looked at her.  
"Do you think that it has something to do with...this...war?"  
Miroku leaned back a little, looking up into the sky above, as the stars were starting to be visible in the darkening sky, "I don't see how...but then...nothing would really surprise me anymore."  
Kagome nodded, and looked up into the sky as well. Her eyes settled on the first small dot of light she saw, and she silently mouthed the little chant she had been taught.  
InuYasha watched her, quietly, reading her lips. He knew what she was doing, and found himself wishing to know what her wish had been...  
He watched as Kagome continued to stare at the stars for a few seconds, her eyes dark in the low light, and then she looked down, into the firelight. There was a pensive look to her face that he knew well...she was worrying about something.  
In the low light, the fading bruise on her face was almost all gone.  
He mentally sighed... no woman should have to be hit in the face like that.....no woman should have to be hit like that at _all_!  
Her voice came to him, from the other day, _"You were right, InuYasha. I was playing with fire. I shouldn't have done it..."_  
He watched her profile.  
_She believed in me..._  
Kagome suddenly turned to him, "What do you think?"  
InuYasha blinked, confused, "Huh?"  
"About the weather? Do you think it could be...?"  
The hanyou went back to poking at the fire, "I dunno. A year ago I wouldn't have thought we would meet up with someone so powerful that he could interfere with the _seasons_, but now..."  
"Yeah..."  
Silence, only the crackling of the little fire.

InuYasha awoke, thrashing in his sleep, claws out, a scream trying to force it's way out of his mouth.  
For a second he was confused. He had been standing on a hillside, his sword in hand, and now he was...  
He was...  
His eyes scanned the little area, at the banked fire, the three figures lying on the ground, asleep. Shadows danced beyond them, thrown up by their bodies as they slept.  
_Just a dream..._  
He put a hand to his chest, trying to will his heart to stop pounding. He felt ill, and raising a hand to his face, was not overly surprised to find the skin just beneath his eyes was a little wet.  
He roughly drew the sleeve of his haori over his face, taking a deep breath to try and slow his breathing.  
_Will it ever go away, Godsdamnit? Am I going to get that feeling out of my head!?_  
He had been standing on the hillside again, clutching the Tetsusaiga in his hands, with Kagome, Sango, and Miroku standing some ways distant from him. They had changed, dark symbols filling their faces. He could feel their power growing as they stood, looking down at the little village below...  
Could still feel lifting the sword....could feel the attack leaving it...  
Could feel his attack slamming into his friends...his family.  
InuYasha closed his eyes, rubbing a hand over his face.  
_They're not dead. They're fine..._  
Lowering his hand, taking a steadying breath, he stood up, and quietly approached the sleeping figures. He stood, looking down at them, their faces soft in sleep.  
The monk's voice came to him, _"InuYasha...I think the fact of **our** mortality is upsetting you far more than you think it's upsetting us..."  
"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard!"  
"InuYasha...did we die in the visions Neith gave you?"_  
InuYasha turned, and walked to Kagome, and quietly sat, watching her sleep.  
_What did you wish for, Kagome?_  
He suddenly remembered the last time he had sat this way, watching her sleep. He had gotten a slap in the face for it, although apparently it had been instinct to her.  
Her voice, in the forest...  
_"You did what you had to, and...thank you."  
He had turned to her, upset, unable to believe she had said that, "Didn't you hear what I just said? I KILLED YOU!"  
"I heard," she had said in that soft voice, "And you did it so we didn't end up in Hell. I know it must have been... so horrible for you. But thank you"_  
He watched her sleep.  
_I promised you I would always protect you. I just...don't know if the next time, if I could...do that._  
He sighed.  
Staying where he was, InuYasha gazed into the banked embers of their fire, drooping a little.  
_Everything's getting so harder, damnit. It was all supposed to get easier, once we killed Naraku. But it's all gotten harder. It's like all the training, all the fighting, everything we did before, battling Naraku, didn't actually **do** anything for us. We're still faltering around in the dark, here._  
On the other side of the fire pit, Miroku began to stir.  
InuYasha's ears pricked as he listened to the monk's mumblings. At first he was afraid he might have been having some sort of private conversation, and evening listening while the monk was talking in his sleep seemed wrong, but it soon became apparent that Miroku was having no pleasant dream.  
He mumbled unhappily, stirring slightly, and then the hanyou heard one clear word, though spoken lowly, "...No..please, stop!"  
InuYasha stirred, not sure what to do. Should he wake the monk, or let him continue sleeping?  
The choice was taken from him when Miroku suddenly gave a huge lurch in his sleep, bolting upright into a sitting position, his arms raised as if to fend off a blow.  
"Miroku?"  
Miroku gave another jump at the hanyou's voice, turning to look at InuYasha. The wildness in the monk's eyes alarmed InuYasha, and he half rose, _"Miroku?"_  
Miroku gave a shuddering breath, clutching at his chest for a second, closing his eyes, trying to get his heart under control. Even from where he was InuYasha could smell the scent of fear on the monk; a sharp, acrid scent of sweat and terror.  
Keeping his voice level, InuYasha spoke, "Hey...you ok?"  
"I...will be." Miroku whispered, rubbing a hand over his face. InuYasha could see the monk's bangs were plastered with sweat.  
"Are you sick?"  
Miroku shook his head, and pushed back the blankets to rise. He blinked to see Kirara peeping out at him from the blankets, giving him one of her unusual little mews.  
"When did you sneak in, Kirara?" Miroku chuckled weakly, and rose. InuYasha watched him pick up a water bottle, and start towards the small stream nearby.  
Growing curious, InuYasha rose, and followed after.  
He found Miroku kneeling beside the stream, bathing his face with the hem of his robes, having dipped them into the cool water. InuYasha stood behind him, watching him worriedly. He wasn't sure how to bring up Miroku's dream...it was always kinda weird talking to another guy when you were worried about them...the girls were always so much better at it.  
"You...uh..."  
Miroke rescued InuYasha, by speaking, "A nightmare. Nothing to be concerned about, InuYasha."  
"That...sounded like one hell of a nightmare."  
Miroku opened his water bottle, and started filling it, silent. The sound of the water gurgling by had a soothing quality to it, and InuYasha could smell the fragrence of water plants starting to bloom.  
The hanyou was just about to return to the camp, thinking Miroku wanted solitude, when Miroku spoke. His voice was oddly subdued and hesitant.  
"InuYasha...can you keep a secret?"  
"I...guess..."  
"Can you or can't you?"  
"Alright fine, yeah. If it's important, yeah."  
The monk sat back, taking a long, deep pull from the bottle. Swallowing, he gazed down at the bottle in his hand, and spoke.  
"I've been having the same dream over and over lately. The exact same dream. Only each time I dream it, it goes a little further. And I have no idea what it means, but...I'll be blunt...it terrifies me."  
InuYasha frowned, "Like...what? Being killed? Attacked?"  
"That's just it, it...makes no sense. It's just a collection of visions, basically. Images, all rolled together."  
InuYasha walked over, and sat beside Miroku, sprawling out on his back on the cool ground, taking his weight on elbows, his legs stretched out.  
"Like what?"  
Miroku paused, and then spoke.  
"It always starts the same. I'm walking in the forest at night, and I come out upon this little hill. There's a village down below, all the windows lit up with fires and candles. The stars overhead are breathtaking. But as I watch...this...darkness starts to form on the distant horizon. It's like a starless sky, just this black...nothing. As I watch, it climbs up the vault of the heavens, passing over me, coming down on the horizon behind me. And it's just...devouring the stars as it goes. Stars, clouds...everything just gets swept into the blackness. Then below me, I see the same blackness coming over the ground. And it devours all the huts and the little fires, and everything is just..._vanishing_. Trees, lakes, roads, everything. Just...devoured. And I suddenly think...is this my Wind Tunnel? Has it somehow gotten loose and..."  
Miroku fell silent.  
InuYasha looked at the stream babbling on by, interesting in it's own doings.  
"Well..." InuYasha's voice was low and hesitant, "I'm no dream reader, but it sounds like what Izumi was talking about. Keimetsu just...destroying everything."  
Miroku glanced at him.  
InuYasha continued, "It's not really surprising that you'd be dreaming about that. It's awful to think about."  
"Yes...I suppose. But then there's another image that forms. Of a person, standing on a far hill. I think it's a woman, with long hair. It's sort of blowing in the wind. And she holds up something...something glowing. And the darkness starts to fall back. The light from whatever she's holding is keeping the darkness at bay...but then the darkness regroups, and starts to swamp the woman."  
Miroku put a hand to his forhead, "I never actually see the woman being overcome, but...it's obvious she's going to be. And as each dream happens, I see more and more of it...but I don't want to. Somehow, the thoughts of seeing that person swarmed by the darkness fills me with fear."  
Silence.  
"Well...if she's got long back hair, maybe it's Izumi?"  
Miroku shook his head, "The hair isn't as long as hers."  
Silence.  
InuYasha spoke lowly, "Is it...Kagome?"  
Miroku looked at him.  
"The Shikon glows."  
Miroku shook his head, "No, it's a different glow than the Shikon. Whatever is glowing seems long, about as long as my arm. And neither Kagome nor Sango have anything like that."  
"What about Mikado?"  
Miroku shook his head again.  
InuYasha sighed, watching the water. He was relieved, though, that it wasn't Sango or Kagome.  
The monk spoke again, "Maybe it's just that and nothing more; a dream."  
InuYasha glanced at Miroku again. The fact that the monk was having it over and over, and that it advanced a little each time seemed to indicate it was more than a dream, but what did it mean? InuYasha was no dream interpreter. He hardly understood his own.  
"It's possible, I guess."  
"Well, at any rate, I should head back to sleep again." Miroku glanced at him, "Why were you up, anyway? Did you hear or smell something approaching?"  
"Huh? Oh, uh...no. Just...couldn't sleep either."  
Miroku studied him silently in the darkness, "Is your sleep troubled by dreams as well, InuYasha?"  
InuYasha made a rude sound, "Hardly."  
Miroku smiled faintly, and rose, stretching.  
"Well, I'll be useless tomorrow if I don't get some sleep. Goodnight, InuYasha."  
"'Night."  
InuYasha watched as Miroku walked back to his blankets and, after shifting Kirara slightly, settled back down for the night.

Kagome was the first up the next morning. She slid out from in under her blankets, startled to see a shock of silver hair peeking out from in under InuYasha's blankets. It was so odd to see InuYasha _sleeping in_. For a second she wondered if he was ok, but she mentally laughed at herself. He was just feeling a little lazy for once, and good for him!  
Kagome quietly took her washing things out from her backpack and moved to the little stream a short distance away. She pulled on the oversized "shirt" she had bought - a sort of giant beach coverup she had bought at home. Her mother had thought she was crazy, until Kagome explained it was a way of being able to change or even wash if she couldn't find any privacy. It was clumsy, but Kagome managed to give herself a quick sponge bath while wearing the coverup, and emerged washed, dried and dressed, feeling fresh and very clever.  
Kagome glanced up along the little stream a ways, to see berries growing in abundance.  
_Oh wow. Those would be so good with breakfast..._  
Taking her things back to her backpack and picking up her sword and a container, Kagome silently moved to the berry patch.  
_I'll be very careful not to go too far from the others. I know InuYasha's nervous, now that he killed Xanter..._  
Kagome kneeled, and started picking the berries.  
Xanter....  
Her heart started to pound at the thought of him, her face seemed to remember the ache it once had. Not aware she was doing it, Kagome lightly touched her cheek.  
_He hit me so hard..._  
Her body hadn't wanted to work. It had been like there was some sort of interruption between her brain and her body.  
She had been so scared....  
Kagome suddenly remembered seeing InuYasha come hurtling at her, grabbing her, wrapping his arms around her so tight, so protectively. She had known, at _once_, that she was safe. The pain was still there, the emotions left over by the fear; pounding heart, short breath, trembling...but the fear had gone.  
His arms were always so strong.  
She remembered again how rigid his body had been with his own anger, had been able to feel his own heart pounding in his chest.  
Remembered how angry his voice had been...  
_"I'll still protect you, Kagome, even though....we're...not....I will always protect you."_  
Kagome closed her eyes, sighing as emotions swept through her.  
How it had felt...to be in his arms again...  
_No_, she said to herself firmly, opening her eyes and picking more berries, _No. Of course you miss it, Kagome. You miss the feelings of being in love. The emotions. The...the **content** feeling. And that's all understandable. But you **know** what would happen if you ever **did** go back with him, so....realize it for what it is. Missing the feelings. That's all._  
She dropped a handful of berries in the basket.  
_I thought the one who did the breaking-up was supposed to feel more firm than this,_ she thought wearily.  
Kagome glanced at the Bloodstone on her arm. Thought of removing it, and calling in DarkWind.  
She paused.  
Being with DarkWind....was nice. Very nice. When she was with DarkWind, she...well....she didn't miss the feelings she had had with InuYasha so much. Kagome wasn't really sure what that meant....she was _sure_ she wasn't in love with the Kageri or anything, but...  
DarkWind was so handsome. And strong. And powerful, and protective, and understanding, and kind, and gentle, and...and...  
Sometimes....the way he spoke to her...gave her goosebumps. Very _nice_ goosebumps.  
But she was always careful to keep that in the little area DarkWind was not allowed to go in her mind.  
_Besides, who wouldn't be impressed by DarkWind? He's gorgeous!_  
"Help!"  
Kagome yelped, and dropped the basket she was holding, her other hand going towards her sword as she stood, and turned.  
"Help me!" A man's voice, terrified.  
Kagome was moving before she even knew it, her feet finding a sure path along the grassy hillside as she moved towards the sound of the call.  
InuYasha fell in beside her within seconds, glancing at her, "Who is it?"  
"No idea!" she replied, and they moved together towards the nearby forest line.  
InuYasha got there first, and was questioning the man that was standing there, out of breath, looking frightened. He wore simple clothing, well patched.  
"What kind of demon did you say it was?" InuYasha asked.  
"It's some sort of...big...insect! I've never seen a small insect like that before, but that's what it looks like! My village was attacked!" the man pointed back the way he had been running, "People are hurt! Please, can you help us?"  
InuYasha turned towards Kagome, his hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga, "I'm going. You should go to the village, see if you can help anyone?"  
"Right," Kagome agreed, "I'll need herbs-"  
"We have a healer in our village," the man said, "but she was badly hurt! It attacked her first off, as soon as it entered the village, but she should have everything you need - please!"  
"Alright!" Kagome looked at him, "Show me the way. InuYasha, you go get Miroku and Sango, you might need help."  
"I won't-"  
"Just get them!" Kagome argued, "And when you're done, you can all come and help me! If an entire village has been hit I'll need everyone's help."  
InuYasha nodded, and turned, heading back towards the camp. The man blinked in awe as the hanyou lunged into the sky, and began using tree branches as his personal path.  
Kagome took his arm, "Come on, show me back to your village."  
"Oh..right. This way!"  
He took Kagome's arm, and turned, starting back towards the path in the forest.  
Kagome pushed branches out of her face, "Do you have any idea why the demon started to attack your village?"  
"None," the man said, ducking under a large branch, "It just attacked."  
"That's very strange," Kagome jumped over a small rock, "Demons don't usually just attack outright like that. I mean, unless there's some big reason. Did it say anything about...well...eating people, or...?"  
"I told you, I don't know," the man said, "They just started to attack us. They hit the farmers first, and when they ran in to warn us, they followed."  
"That still doesn't...hang on!" Kagome gripped the man's arm, "I thought the healer was hit first? And what do you mean, 'they'? Is it one, or several?"  
The man stopped talking, and just dragged Kagome several steps forward.  
"Hey! Get your hands off me!" Kagome grabbed for her sword. The whole thing had suddenly gone very sour, and she was getting a bad feeling.  
The man turned, and clamped a hand down hard on Kagome's, his eyes very piercing.  
"Please," he said carefully, "I won't hurt you, but I have to do this. She wants to see you."  
Kagome startled him by suddenly kicking out with her foot in round sweep, and took the man off his feet. In surprise, he let go of her wrist as he fell.  
Kagome turned, and started running backwards towards the path they had left, "InuYasha! Wait! I think it's a trap! _InuYasha!"_  
Something crashed into her, wrapping tightly around her legs, and Kagome fell with a thud, pitching up against a fallen tree, knocking the wind out of her. She managed to keep a tight grip on her sword, and she struggled to get up. Looking down at her legs, she saw a bolo wrapped tightly around them.  
She was neatly trussed.  
The man's shadow fell over her, and as she tried to rise, he moved forward, stepping on her hand, hard, until she was forced to let go of her sword. Unable to speak, trying desperately to breath, Kagome glared her hatred at the man.  
He bent over, and picked up her sword, and looked at her. There was no anger, no hatred on his face, just a gentle, apologetic look.  
"I'll give this back to you as soon as I can. Please, don't be scared. No one will hurt you. But she insisted on meeting you, alone. And she said this was the only way to do it. I hated tricking you and your friend."  
Kagome managed to drag in a whooping breath into her burning lungs, and spoke, "Who?"  
"You'll meet her."  
The man knelt before Kagome, and pulled out a piece of yellow cloth. He tore off a long strip, letting a few small pieces fall to the ground, before finding a piece he liked, and bound her wrists. Then he carefully gagged her.  
The man flinched at the glare Kagome was casting at him, but he nodded at her, "I know. But still, I swear. You'll come to no harm. Now...let's go."  
To Kagome's mortification, the man picked her up, threw her over his shoulder like a bag of rice, and headed into the forest. 


	3. Chapter 3

  
Kagome was dumped roughly on her butt in the middle of a large hut. She grunted as she hit, casting daggers at her captor with her eyes. The man apologised, and knelt before her, carefully untying the gag around her mouth.  
"Where am I?" Kagome instantly demanded, "What do you think you're doing? What's going on?"  
"Please, miss, don't yell-"  
"I'll yell all I want to, thank you very much!" Kagome hollared, right in the man's face, "Ive been tied up and dragged off with some stranger! I have a _right_ to yell!"  
Kagome was started to see the man actually wince, drawing back, as if he expected her to somehow get free and attack him.  
"Please, take it easy. I told you, you won't be hurt at all!"  
"Why was I brought here!?"  
"She wanted to meet you, is all."  
"Who's "she"? And if she wanted to meet me, why didn't she just _ask_!?"  
"So," came a new voice, "This is her?"  
Kagome looked over her shoulder to see a woman walk into the room, looking down at her with curiosity.  
Kagome blinked.  
The young woman was obviously a hanyou, like InuYasha. Her eyes were a dark green, and her hair was pale blue. At the edges of her ears were what looked like little fringes that reminded Kagome of the feathery gills some fragile sea creatures had.  
_Half-demon. Some sort of ocean demon, I would guess..._  
She was, in fact, rather lovely. Except Kagome really didn't like the way the woman was looking at her, looking her over like she was the oddity.  
"You are Kagome, yes?"  
"That's right..." Kagome turned back to the man as he suddenly cut the binds that held her wrists, and started on the ones on her legs, untying the bolo straps. Kagome rubbed her wrists, and looked back at the woman, "Are you the one who wanted to meet me?"  
"That's right. Hmmm. You're not all _that_ much to look at."  
Kagome blinked, "Hey!"  
The woman looked over to a table, where Kagome's sword lay, "You use a sword. _And_ a bow?"  
"That's right...who are you? Why was I brought here? Why did you lie about some demon attack-"  
The hanyou woman turned back to Kagome, cutting her off, "Were your hands hurt in the struggle?"  
"My..no.."  
"Good. Can you stand?"  
"Uhh..." nervously, Kagome stood, looking around at the two people in the hut with her.  
The hanyou woman suddenly grinned brightly, "Excellent! Now, let's go outside. The targets are waiting."  
_Targets?_  
Kagome moved towards the table where her sword was lying, expecting to be attacked at any moment, or at least be prevented from getting her weapon. She was therefore surprised when they waited for her to pick up her sword.  
Kagome turned to them, watching warily, holding her sword tightly. But they made no move to stop her, and so she sheathed her sword, for now, and followed them outside.

She blinked in surprise.  
"What on earth....?"  
Just outside the hut, the sun was shining brightly, and the air was still. Birds called in the distance. It was a beautiful day. They were standing on the edge of a clearing, the ground swept free of any debris. A fence encircled the clearing, painted white.  
At one end of the rectangular clearing, stood 5 bags of sand, each with a large bullseye painted on it in red. They were perched up on top of barrels. At various distances on the ground, were brightly painted stones, evenly spaced from the targets to the opposite end of the field. At the distant end, stood a rack of many bows, and several quivers of arrows.  
The man who had grabbed Kagome walked beside her, watching her nervously, making sure she wasn't limping or anything. Kagome began to get the distinct impression that he was somehow submissive to the woman.  
The woman turned, and regarded Kagome closely, "I suppose you're wondering why you're here?"  
"Yeah, I already asked that!"  
The woman smiled, "I am called Emi of the Bow. I am unbeatable in archery, the best these lands have seen. I have heard that you are....talented....with a bow as well, and so I had you brought here. Now we will see which of us is better. Although just looking at you, I think I have nothing to worry about. You're not even that attractive, now that I see you in sunlight."  
Kagome blinked, "You had...._you kidnapped me for some stupid archery?"_  
Emi frowned prettily, "'Stupid' archery? Are you certain you're Kagome?"  
_"Yes_ I'm Kagome! I can't believe you did this! What about the demon attacking the village? Was that all made up?"  
"Oh no, not at all. There's a small demon around here that's been trying to get up the nerve to attack my village. I'm sure it probably found the courage it needed by now, and should be attacking. I just wanted a diversion for your friends."  
"How do you even know about us? What village?"  
Emi sighed, annoyed, "You all came to my village earlier to get water, remember?"  
"Oh...that village."  
"Correct."  
"Then why are we out here?"  
Emi smiled again, "This is my personal archery training grounds. Do you like it? I built it myself, over a few years, clearing out the area, putting in the fence....I spend most of my time out here."  
Kagome turned to the man, frowning, "And you? What's your part in all this?"  
The man looked apologetically at Kagome, "I...I'm Jinto. I'm sorry, miss, I really didn't want to-"  
"Jinto's sort of my...slave. Sort of."  
"Emi saved my life once," Jinto spoke gently, his voice growing warmer, "And I swore to be as her vassal for anything she wanted of me. I...I'm sorry if I hurt you, or-"  
"Oh Jinto, be quiet! She's obviously not hurt...." Emi seemed to be looking Kagome over very closely.  
Kagome looked back at Emi, and crossed her arms. She felt oddly defensive, "Look, I have more important things to do than stand around here shooting arrows! My friends are out there chasing after a demon!"  
"My dear, nothing is more important than archery."  
_That's why you have only one friend,_ Kagome thought savagely, _And he's apparently a slave, at that._  
"My friends are!" Kagome snapped, and turned on her heels, and marched down over the steps, "I'm leaving."  
Emi smiled coldly, "You can't leave."  
"Just _watch_ me!" Kagome yelled over her shoulder.  
Kagome walked towards the fence, and was about to pass it, when a faint light blue shimmering light sprang up around her. Blinking, Kagome put out her hand, to feel some sort of barrier around her. She turned, and saw the barrier was around the entire archery field.  
"You let me out of here right now!"  
"No can do, my dear."  
"So you're some sort of Priestess too?"  
"No, not at all. Jinto, however, has power with such things."  
Kagome shot the young man a glance filled with venom, and Jinto shrank back.  
"Now then, shall we begin?" Emi walked down over the steps, and towards the rack, where the bows were standing. She picked out one she was familiar with, and an arrow, and turned to regard Kagome.  
Kagome balled her hands into fists, _"I am not doing this! My friends are fighting a demon!"_  
"Oh poo, it's a small demon. The hanyou can handle it, don't worry. I didn't want to _kill_ anyone, just make sure you wouldn't run away."  
"Look, I don't like just leavin - _run away? Now hold on!"_  
"That's right. And from what I'm seeing, I'm glad I did. You obviously know you're in the presence of your superior, and you're afraid to compete against me." Emi looked Kagome over again, "In both skill _and_ appearance! Why don't you just admit defeat right now, and we can be done with it?"  
Kagome simmered. She was getting rather tired of being told she had no skill with the bow, and that she wasn't nice looking...what one had to do with the other she had no idea, but she was starting a slow burn.  
_Just give the stupid cow what she wants and be done._  
"Fine. You're better at archery than I am. Now lower the shield so I can go."  
Emi's pretty face scowled, "You're not doing it right!"  
"What, now I'm not giving in good enough for you!?"  
"You're supposed to _mean_ it! I can tell by your voice you don't really think that! Say it right!"  
Kagome started to grow red in the face, "You're crazy, you know that? You dragged me here and now you won't let me go? I'm tired of this! I want to go find my friends! _Put down your shield!"_  
"No!"  
Kagome turned towards Jinto, and started walking towards him, "If you don't lower that shield right now, so help me!"  
Jinto, alarmed, turned and ran to hide behind Emi.  
"I challenged you to a contest!" Emi yelled, "You have to accept it!"  
"Forget it!"  
"I knew it!" Emi yelled, "You're _not_ as good as I am with the bow, and you're _not_ cuter than I am!"  
"Will you shut up!?" Kagome hollared back, "I never said I was!"  
_"He_ did! He insulted me!"  
"Who did!?"  
"That hanyou!"  
Kagome stopped, confused, "Wait...what? InuYasha?"  
"The hanyou in crimson!"  
"That's InuYasha...you were talking to him?"  
Emi huffed, crossing her arms, "He came over to me while I was practicing in the village, and we started talking. He's very attractive...and I thought he had heard of me, Emi of the Bow. So I started talking to him...he said he never heard of me."  
Kagome just listened.  
"So I told him I was the most skilled archer in the lands. And _he_ had the nerve to tell me I _wasn't_!"  
"That soun-"  
"He told me that someone named _Kagome_ was a _much_ better archer than I was! Said she had more skill, and was more talented at it! Said she was cuter than me, too!"  
Kagome suddenly seemed to have lost her voice.  
Emi shot Kagome a hate-filled glance, "You _can't_ be the same Kagome! You refuse to fight me! You can't have any skills! _And you're not cuter than I am! You're not!"_  
A hot flush crept up Kagome's neck, taking over her face, "L-Look, I...uh..."  
_InuYasha..said that? About me?_  
"Now," Emi said firmly, "We are going to have the contest, and that is that. Choose your bow and let's be done with this!"  
Feeling strange, Kagome walked to the rack, and picked up a bow.  
She felt like she was moving in slow motion, her thoughts and mind a whirl. InuYasha was bragging about her? He was...  
She suddenly saw his face again, as they were walking back from the village. How smug he had looked. How oddly happy, pleased with himself.  
A small part of her was annoyed...now she was stuck with this crazy person....but she was more...touched.  
_He was...bragging. Over me. Bragging._  
Kagome looked down at the bow in her hand, lost in thought. InuYasha had never bragged over her before. He had been _boasting_ over her skills with the bow.  
_He said I was skilled with the bow. More skilled than she was. He said I....he said I was cute..._  
Her heart was pounding.  
Emi's voice cut off her thoughts, "Well, are you ready or not? I'm waiting!"  
Kagome suddenly blinked, and anger swept over her. She spun around to face Emi.  
"No, I'm not, and _I'm not doing this! I already told you!_" Kagome threw down the bow. Right now she was more intent on finding her friends, making sure they were ok. She had only picked up the bow in the first place because her mind had started wandering all over the place.  
"You're not getting out of this! Pick up that bow and draw!"  
_"Make me!"_ Kagome hollared.  
"Kagome!"  
She turned, suddenly startled to hear a different voice, and blinked to see InuYasha, walking towards them. Before Kagome could even warn him about the barrier, the hanyou walked easily through it towards them. His eyes were watchful as he took in Emi and Jinto, and he moved towards Kagome.  
"What's going on here?" he asked her, "Miroku, Sango and I went to fight this big, dangerous demon, and it was some wimpy little thing. I thought you guys were going back to the village to help?"  
_I guess demons and half-demons can get through that barrier,_ Kagome thought to herself, _And humans can't. Odd._  
"Yeah, well, I was sort of kidnapped," Kagome said hotly.  
InuYasha blinked, and turned towards Jinto, his hand moving towards his sword, "What?"  
"Easy, easy!" Jinto said quickly, moving his hands in a placating manner, "It wasn't really a kidnapping! Emi just really needed to talk to her, that's all! So I...made up the story about the big demon..."  
InuYasha snorted, annoyed, "What the hell was so important you had to drag her here alone?" He eyed Jinto with a hard glare.  
Emi interrupted them, pointing straight at Kagome, "This _can't_ be the person you were telling me about!"  
"What?" InuYasha turned his attention back to Emi, "Yeah she is."  
"Hah! She's not interested in archery at all! She called it stupid! And she _certainly_ is _not_ cuter than I am!"  
"Hold on," InuYasha spoke, growing angry, "You dragged her here for some archery-thing?"  
"A contest, you fool!" Emi said, her lovely face red with anger, "And she won't do it!"  
"I _told_ you!" Kagome yelled, "I wanted to find my friends! That was more important!"  
"Nothing is more important than archery!"  
"You're hopeless!" Kagome yelled back.  
"Let me show you something," Emi said, and walked towards the rack of bows. She picked one up, and grabbed a bow. She moved to the farthest shooting point, and took aim. After not even a second, she released the arrow. It hummed across the space, and embedded itself perfectly in the very center of the target. She turned, grinning.  
"There, you see? That is pure skill. _She_ has nothing. She has no skill like that."  
Kagome was about to speak, when InuYasha stepped forward, walking towards Emi, his arms crossed.  
"Oh please. You call that skill? The sun is shining, there's no wind. The target's not moving. You can take your time, you're not running for your life, _or_ in the middle of battle. You've got the best of all situations.  
I've seen Kagome in the pouring rain _and_ wind, with a _moving_ target, one that's usually trying to _kill her_, and she only has a certain amount of time, and she _still_ manages to hit perfectly! Don't make me laugh. You, skill? Hah!"  
Emi was practically quivering with anger. She turned to Kagome, and pointed at the target, "Shoot! NOW!"  
Kagome had been staring at InuYasha's back, shocked speechless. He had never been so supportive of her ability before....and had never come to her verbal defense so fast. She found she didn't have anything to say, and for a second, she wasn't sure her voice would even work.  
InuYasha looked over his shoulder at Kagome, and suddenly saw her face. His own bloomed red at her shocked expression, but he said and did nothing, just waited for her lead. He would follow her decision.  
Now, looking at Emi, anger swept through her. She was annoying the living hell out of her. She was a whining, spoiled child who was screaming, "Not fair!" when Kagome refused to play along.  
_Fine._  
InuYasha blinked. He had seen that expression before.  
Kagome marched over to the rack again, and picked up a bow, and picked up a quiver. She slid the quiver on her back. Everything felt heightened to her, she could feel the breeze on her face, could hear the birds chirping a distance away, and knew her anger was putting her into her zone.  
"Need more than one, hmm?" Emi grinned, "Expecting on making mistakes?"  
Kagome said nothing. She felt Emi and Jinto's eyes on her, and stronger, felt InuYasha's. And she was suddenly aware she did _not_ want to fail this. Not in front of him. He had bragged about her, had _boasted_ over her, and she didn't want to let him down.  
_Would_ not let him down.  
Kagome slid an arrow from the quiver, and took aim. The peaceful feeling washed over her, the one that told her she was one with her bow, and she released.  
She took another arrow, and released. And another, and released.  
Four times she did this, quickly taking an arrow, taking aim, and releasing, feeling the skill flowing through her, feeling as if she were guiding the arrows with her own heart. And in a way she was.  
After releasing the fourth arrow, she lowered the bow, and looked at Emi.  
The female hanyou was staring at the target with an open mouth, shocked.  
Emi's arrow was completely encircled by Kagome's arrows. One above, one below, and one on each side. Kagome's four and Emi's five made a perfect cross.  
InuYasha spoke, his voice gleeful, _"That's_ skill."  
Kagome kept her eyes from InuYasha's face - for some reason she didn't think she could make eye contact with him right now...she was feeling oddly euphoric, but a small part of her knew she shouldn't make eye contact. Not right now.  
She put the bow back on the rack, slipped the quiver from her shoulder and placed it next to the bow, and turned to Jinto.  
"Put. Down. The. Barrier.  
Now."  
Blinking, Jinto turned, and made some strange motions with his hands. The pale blue light flickered, and vanished.  
Kagome turned on her heel, and walked from the clearing.  
InuYasha watched her go, pride warm in his chest. He had known she could do it, but Kagome often doubted her own skills. Jinto watched Emi nervously, but the female hanyou just watched Kagome, silent, shocked. She had been neatly, and perfectly, beaten.  
InuYasha looked back at Emi, and grinned.  
"And she _is_ cuter than you."

Kagome walked along the path, feeling almost chilled, the way she often did when she came out of her zone. It was hard to explain, but she always felt so in tune with the bow. It was like something else took a hold of her, and guided her. At first she had thought it was Kikyo's presence, but now...now she knew better. Izumi had explained the truth to her, and Kagome no longer felt like Kikyo's leftover. She had her own skills, her own powers. And as always, when they left her, she felt sort of chilly.  
"Hey, wait up!"  
She turned to see him running along the path behind her, long silvery hair trailing behind him. He was grinning.  
He caught up to her, still grinning at her, "You should have stuck around, you missed her face!"  
"Uh...yeah..."  
Kagome suddenly turned, walking along the path again.  
"You ok?" he asked, concerned, falling into place alongside her.  
"Oh..yeah, just...you know...we should catch up with Miroku and Sango."  
Kagome kept her gaze on the forest path. She was afraid to look up. At his face. In his eyes.  
_"...He said she had more skill, and was more talented at it! Said she was cuter, too!"_  
_"..That's skill."_  
She wanted to take his hand.  
Kagome balled her hands into fists, alarmed at how badly she wanted to slip her hand into his. To look in his eyes. Those golden eyes.  
_No. I can't do this again. I **can't**. I won't._  
"Will you cheer up? Gods, Kagome!"  
Blinking, startled from her thoughts, she looked up at him. He was walking beside her, watching her closely, a slight hint of annoyance in his eyes.  
"InuYasha?"  
"Cheer up! You should be excited!"  
"Why-"  
"Kagome! You just had your first challenge, and you passed it!"  
"My..."  
"Someone wanted to challenge you, and you won! You defeated them! Why are you looking so upset?"  
Kagome blinked. She realized that in his world, he was always being challenged. And always worried he would fail. So he was excited for her. That she had passed her first challenge!  
"You're right!" she blinked, and smiled, "I was challenged, and I won! I beat her!"  
Kagome threw her arms in the air, "I beat her!"  
"You _massacred_ her!" InuYasha smiled at her.  
"I cleaned her clock!"  
"You totally...huh?"  
Kagome giggled at his expression, "It means I beat her."  
"Oh! Yeah, you cleaned her clock!"  
Kagome giggled again.  
They walked together, smiling at each other. Kagome could feel his happiness, his pride in her.  
_InuYasha._  
"Kagome!"  
Up ahead, Miroku and Sango, waiting for them.  
Kagome laughed, and started running, "Guys! You'll never guess what!"

END 


End file.
